Osteospermum plant named &#39;osecmapu&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Osteospermum  plant particularly distinguished by its mounding plant habit, early flowering with deep purple colored ray florets and large inflorescences.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Osteospermum ecklonis.

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

‘Osecmapu’

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant, botanically known as Osteospermum ecklonis.

The new Osteospermum is propagated by cuttings resulting from an open pollinated population from a proprietary Osteospermum ecklonis seedling selection as the female, or seed, parent identified as breeder's code ‘E0202-3’ (unpatented). Breeder's code of new plant is ‘G0122-3.’

The new Osteospermum was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated population grown in Enkhuizen, Netherlands, in 2002. The new Osteospermum plant has been repeatably asexually reproduced by cuttings in Enkhuizen, Netherlands over a period of 3 years. It has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations, and this novelty appears to be firmly fixed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

This new Osteospermum plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographic drawing which shows blooms, buds and foliage of the plant in full color, the color shown being as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctive characteristics of this new Osteospermum plant. The data which defines these characteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out in Enkhuizen, Netherlands. The plant history was taken on 25 weeks old plants. The instant plant was grown indoors in a 10.5 cm container and transplanted into the open field in week 20.

Color references are primarily to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London, edition 2001. TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW CULTIVAR ‘OSECMAPU’ AND TWO SIMILAR CULTIVARS ‘Osoutis’ (U.S. Pat. ‘Wild Side’ ‘Osecmapu’ No. 15,491) (Not patented) Plant height 26 cm 22 cm 38 cm Plant width 60 cm 24 cm 52 cm Flower colour Deep Purple Purple fading Deep Purple Flower size 5.5-6.2 cm  5 cm  5 cm

-   The plant:     -   -   Classification.—Botanical: Osteospermum ecklonis. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary seedling selection ‘E0202-3.’         -   Male parent.—Female is open pollinated so male is unknown. -   Plant description:     -   -   Growth habit.—Round, mounding.         -   Plant height.—26 cm.         -   Spreading area of plant.—60 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong growth.         -   Branching character.—Freely branching, 30 lateral branches             without pinching.         -   Blooming period.—From May until October. -   The stem:     -   -   Length.—25 cm.         -   Diameter.—4 mm.         -   Internode length.—1.5 mm.         -   Texture.—Glabrous.         -   Color.—RHS 144A.         -   Anthocyan.—Bit present. -   The foliage:     -   -   Shape.—Single leaves, alternate and elliptic, apex: broadly             acute base: attenuate, margin: irregular serration         -   Number of leaves per lateral branch.—50.         -   Texture.—Glabrous, leathery.         -   Leaf.—Color — Upper side: RHS 137A — Color — Under side: RHS             137C — Length: Young 18-20 mm, mature 45-55 mm — Width:             Young 6-7 mm, mature 16-18 mm.         -   Petiole.—Absent. -   The inflorescence:     -   -   Number of inflorescences per mature plant.—110.         -   Inflorescence bud.—— Form: Ovoid — Length: 10-15 mm — Width:             9-10 mm. — Color : RHS 79A+2C.         -   Inflorescence lastingness on the plant.—Around 5 days             depending on the temperature.         -   Inflorescence.—Diameter: 55-62 mm — Disc diameter: 12 mm.         -   Inflorescence depth.—15 mm.         -   Fragrance.—No fragrance.         -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated — Apex: Five pointed             — Length: 8 mm — Width: 1 mm — Number of disc florets per             inflorescence: 55 — Color: RHS 79A.         -   Ray florets.—Length: 28 mm — Width: 9mm — Shape: Capitulum             with one series of ray florets — Color — Upper surface: RHS             72A — Middle surface: RHS 72A — Lower surface: RHS N79A —             Number of ray florets: 19-20 — Shape — Apex: Rounded — Base:             Acute — Margin: Entire — Texture: Satiny.         -   Peduncles.—Length: 30-45 mm. — Texture: Sturdy, tiny hairs —             Color: RHS N77A +144A — Diameter: 1.5 mm — Shape: Round         -   Phyllaries.—Texture: Rough, tiny hairs — Number of             phyllaries: 18 — Color: RHS 143A — Length: 8-10 mm — Margin:             Entire. — Width: 1mm — Apex: Acute — Shape: Ligulate —             Color: RHS 137C both sides. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Androecium.—Appearance: Present on disc florets only. —             Shape: Oblong, five stamen fused to one — Length: 3 mm —             Width: 1mm — Pollen color: RHS 25A — Total no. of anthers:             64.         -   Gynoecium.—Appearance: Present on both ray and disc florets.             — Pistil number: One pistil per ray or disc floret — Pistil             length: 4 mm — Stigma color: RHS 77A — Stigma shape:             Bipartite. -   Seed development: Seed development has been observed on plants of     the new Osteospermum.     -   -   Amount of seeds produced.—Moderate.         -   Seed length.—6mm.         -   Diameter.—3 mm.         -   Color.—RHS 200A.         -   Shape.—Elliptic. -   Disease resistance: Under commercial conditions, plants of the new     Osteospermum are resistant to fungal pathogens common to     Osteospermum. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Osteospermum plant, substantially as illustrated and described herein. 